YSL Pur Black Gloss sure is fun!

Above is the result of a little experiment I did last night trying to do “vampire lips” or the “just bitten” lips.  Let me tell you, it isn’t as easy as you’d think!  It’s not just red lipstick and then slapping on black gloss.  Ultimately, what worked best was matte red lipstick (MAC Russian Red), then puckering lips up (to the max!), and applying a horizontal line of the black gloss (YSL Pur Black Gloss) on the top and bottom lip.  Next, I took a glossy red gloss (MAC Boundless 3D Glass) and applied it vertically, without going too much over the black parts.

See the experiment from beginning to end! Continue reading »

Look what arrived today… YSL’s Pur Black Gloss.  Yes, Black.  Yes, I paid $28.00 for it.  No, I will probably not wear this anywhere out except, perhaps, on Halloween (kidddingg). I think it speaks for itself; I mean, what are you looking for in a black gloss?  For me, novelty.  YSL does a good job delivering a luxurious black gloss that’s surprisingly opaque and incredibly glossy.  Most glosses always show some of the lip color through it, and this one is no exception.

See lip swatches, skin swatches, and a full-face photo… Continue reading »

So remember how enamored I’ve been over YSL’s new lipstick, Rouge Volupte?   They’re running an art contest in celebration of their latest signature lipstick.  The grand prize winner will win a two-night weekend getaway to NYC for two as well as a $500 gift card for “spending money.”  You’ll also be getting some goodies from YSL (duh!).  You can read more about prizes at the contests’ site.

In celebration of the launch of Rouge Volupté, YSL’s new signature lipstick, YSL Beauté is launching their Create Your Own YSL Rouge Volupté Masterpiece campaign.

Rouge Volupté is an object of desire. This ultra-sensual texture is presented in an elegant case with beautiful feminine curves. Both light and covering, the cream texture becomes fluid on contact with the lips, for a sensual feeling and an exceptional gliding effect. And thanks to the colorshine complex, that magnifies the colour, the 18 shades of this new lipstick will make your lips radiant and simply irresistible.

Use your creativity and fashionista-sense to create a fabulously chic masterpiece inspired by the glamorous allure of the YSL Rouge Volupté Collection. Choose any medium: painting, sculpture, art deco, modern art, graphic art - you decide. Then get inspired by your favorite genre or artist and create your own unique gallery-worthy YSL lipstick-inspired piece of art. An expert panel from YSL Beauté will select their favorite virtuoso to receive a trip to NYC for two where the winner’s make up will be done by a YSL make up artist and the winner will receive select YSL products recommended by the make up artist. The winning YSL lipstick artist will also be featured, along with the artwork and bio, on the YSL Beauté US website!

From left to right:  #1 Nude Beige, #7 Lingerie Pink, #8 Fetish Pink, #9 Caress Pink, #12 Forbidden Burgundy, #13 Peach Passion.  (The order remains the same for all photos!)

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Lipstick ($34.00) comes in a variety of eighteen shades.  They range from pale to bright, beige to berry.  The formula is described as “light and covering, the cream texture becomes fluid on contact with the lips, for a delightful feeling and an exceptional gliding effect.” The packaging is obviously luxe with its golden tubes and elaborately designed ring that overlays the lipstick “shade.”  On the top of each tube is a mirror, which, while small, is usable when you need a touch up.

Let me tell you why I LOVED these babies!  This is, quite possibly, the creamiest, most pigmented, and deliriously glossy formula I have ever tried.  All six colors were rich in color and hue, and they were spot-on in terms of what you see is what you get.  So, they’re creamy (meaning they glide on like a dream), but they’re moisturizing and not in the least bit drying to boot!  Glossiness?  Oh, yes, indeed.  It has such a glossy, reflective finish that makes you think there must be a gloss on top, but nope, that’s just the lipstick by itself.

I always wear gloss on top of my lipstick, because I love shine and glossy finishes–but I’ve been wearing these colors all by their lonesome and loving it!  Of the six I have, my favorites are Caress Pink, Forbidden Burgundy, and Peach Passion.  Tomorrow, after I do some swatching at MAC, I’ll be checking out the YSL counter to see if any others catch my fancy!  And no, I don’t care one whit that these are $34 a pop.  I consider them worth it!  (P.S. - Cremesheen?  After experiencing these, you have a lot to live up to!)

See a TON of packaging photos, lip swatches, and skin swatches!  Continue reading »

“One should always be tempted to untie a woman’s clothes” - Yves Saint Laurent

A symbol of femininity and the love that Monsieur Yves Saint Laurent had for women, the bow Рbe it demure or sexy, a velvet loop or a satin tie Рhas woven its way through his collections. Here, gracefully placed at the small of the back. There, tied around the neck in a protective, airy gesture to veil a lovely d̩collet̩ in transparent chiffon. Or just there, on the hip to highlight the endless length of a leg.

For the 2008 year-end holidays, the BOW COLLECTION reinterprets the symbol and pays tribute to the Couturier. With a look created by Val Garland, the sparkling, mischievous eyes of Coco Rocha are hidden behind a thick fringe of hair and her laughing lips are defined with an intense, plumping lipstick.

THE BOW COLLECTION, festive and colorful, unveils four Limited Edition, “must-have” accessories – Palette Duo Pour Les Levres, Palette de Maquillage Mutli-usage, Fard a Paupieres 4 Couleurs, and Touche d’Or pen-brush - as well as a new Golden Gloss, Fard a Levres Rouge Pur, and La Laque shades.

NEW PRODUCTS IN LIMITED EDITIONS:

• Palette Duo Pour Les Levres ($65.00)
• Palette de Maquillage Mutli-usage ($90.00)
• Fard a Paupieres 4 Couleurs ($60.00)
• Touche d’Or / Golden Touch for Face ($40.00)

NEW BASIC SHADES:

• Golden Gloss ($28.00) in N° 16 - Golden Burgundy
• Rouge Pur Lipstick ($29.00) in N° 142 - Honey Beige
• Nail Lacquers ($19.00) in N° 37 - Deep Blue, N° 38 - Moonlight White

Availability: November 2008

Get more details and photos… Continue reading »

Boy was I frustrated when I didn’t get in on the pre-order for this gloss when it was available online.  It’s sold out already online.  It’s not even out yet!  There is a very, very small YSL counter at my Nordstrom’s, but I’m thinkin’ they won’t get this in stock.  I really want this.  Something about having a black lipgloss appeals to me, in a very hands-off kind of way.  I know Lancome also has a black gloss for fall, which I am lusting after, too - I think it may be more accessible, too. 

What say you?  Black lipgloss — are you game?

YSL GLOSS PUR Black unites these two facets of his art in a superb Limited Edition. Transparent yet intense, it plays on the depths of black and the pure shine of a sparkle-free formula in a special offering. From plum to ebony, it dresses lips in an infinite range of shades, depending on how it is applied – feather light or rich and bold.

Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Pur Black… Coming early October 2008, only while supplies last! $28.00, available at YSL counters at select Saks, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Barneys stores nationwide, as well as Bergdorf Goodman and Henri Bendel in New York City and key YSL boutiques country-wide.

2008: The make-up collections pay tribute to the couturier and celebrate thirty years of beauty, taking inspiration from the house’s legendary icons. The starring chapters for Autumn/Winter 2008/2009: the tuxedo and color.

MASCULINE-FEMININE
The tuxedo. A diaphanous complexion. Deep, deep eyes – metallic and smoky. Shocking pink lips. A provocative, intriguing allure.  With the divine brushstrokes of Val Garland, Artistic Adviser for YSL Make-Up, Coco Rocha personifies the Yves Saint Laurent woman – feline and mysterious.

BLACK OR WHITE
The tuxedo, a fashion icon of the Yves Saint Laurent universe created in 1966, is the standard of the masculine-feminine style. Emblematic of the collection, two limited edition palettes - for eyes and for the complexion - offer a free, graphic interpretation, between light and shadow.

COLORFUL SENSATIONS
New Ombres 5 Lumieres reinterpret the Yves Saint Laurent palette and take a monochrome stand to make an elegant, subtle color play with fashion. Four colors – dark, iridescent and satiny shades plus a highlighter – in each of the six compacts give eyes natural-looking or spectacular depth.

PINK FOREVER
As the signature touch, the lips are inimitable in shocking pink. Autumn/Winter ‘08/’09 introduces dark, spicy, fuchsia, ROUGE PURE SHINE N° 31 Tuxedo Pink and the tamer ROUGE PUR N° 141 Pink Satin.

With this collection, the following also make their debut:

• Blush Variation N° 17 Silky Nude
• Everlong Mascara N° 6 Ever Green
• Eyeliner MoirÉ N° 9 Emerald Reflections
• Fard À LÈvres Rouge Pur N° 140 Purple Velvet
• Rouge PurE Shine N° 30 Shimmering Pink
• Golden Gloss N° 14 Golden Purple
• Golden Gloss N° 15 Golden Berry
• La Laque N° 35 Tuxedo Grey
• La Laque N° 36 Rich Coffee

Availability on counter is September 1st, but product information will pop on www.yslbaeutyus.com in mid-August.

YSL SUMMER 2008 | THE LIGHTS OF AFRICA

For summer 2008, Yves Saint Laurent Make-up finds its source in the heart of Africa and takes inspiration from the favorite themes of its creator to celebrate its 30th anniversary year in sublime color. A call to all the senses and an invitation to sensuality, Africa, the land of adventures, finds all its power concentrated in a collection that combines seductiveness and exoticism. Val Garland, Yves Saint Laurent Make-Up Artistic Advisor, creates a masterfully controlled play of African lights for an indomitable woman.

The Yves Saint Laurent woman radiates a magnetic spell, holding a mysterious tribal jewel, SOLEIL D’AFRIQUE bronzing powder, as her secret beauty accessory.

NEW LIMITED EDITIONS

• SOLEIL D’AFRIQUE / Collector Powder For The Complexion $ 72.00
• VOILE DE SOLEIL / Tinted Veil Tan Booster $ 38.00 (N° 1 Golden Veil, N° 2 Copper Veil)
• PALETTE COULEURS D’AFRIQUE / For The Eyes $ 60.00

NEW BASIC PRODUCT

• EVERLONG MASCARA WATERPROOF / Lengthening Mascara $ 27.50 (N° 1 Ever Black, N° 2 Ever Brown, N° 3 Ever Navy Blue, N° 4 Ever Burgundy)
• NAIL TOUCH / Nail Lacquer Brush Pen $ 25.00 (N° 1 Crystal Touch, N° 2 Beige Touch, N° 3 Pink Touch, N° 4 Pearly Touch)

NEW BASIC SHADES

• TOUCHE BLUSH $ 42.00 (N° 6 Sienna)
• TOUCHE BRILLANCE / Sparkling Touch for Lips $ 29.00 (N° 14 Golden Sand, N° 15 Truly Red)
• GLOSS REPULPANT / Shiny Lip Plumper SPF 10 $ 25.00 (N° 4 Glossy Nude, N° 5 Glossy Candy)

AND AS ALWAYS…

• TOUCHE ÉCLAT / Radiant Touch $ 40.00 (N° 3 Light Peach)

On-Counter: June 2008

See more photos… Continue reading »

Ladies, let me tell you, YSL has truly created a remarkable spring collection (debuting February 2008).  I had the opportunity to play and test out the Palette Pop, a face and cheek powder; Rouge Pure Shine lipstick in Pink Sorbet; and Pop Stick Blush (N2) in Strawberry/Raspberry.  What did I love?  Oh, what didn’t I love!   Here are some swatches - top horizontal one is of Palette Pop, the bottom left is Pink Sorbet, and the bottom right is the Pop Stick Blush!  (Psst, myfavorite is the Pop Stick Blush, I am swooning over it!)

Now, let us give you a detailed review of the three products we tried… Continue reading »

NEW SPRING LOOK 2008 | Spotlight on avant-garde romanticism

“I wanted a face for the woman I dress.” — Yves Saint Laurent

In 1978, Yves Saint Laurent created his line of make-up and sparked a sensation by adapting the bold, elegant, colours and visionary style of his clothes to the make-up universe.  In 2008, to celebrate this 30th anniversary year in rich colour, Yves Saint Laurent Make-up will draw from the designer’s favourite themes and iconic creations with each successive season.

In this first tribute, the New Spring Look 2008 is inspired by one of the famous love greeting cards – the one from 1992 – sketched by Yves Saint Laurent and sent to his friends as an expression of affection. It is faithfully carried over to the PALETTE POP with its eminently wearable shades carrying a wave of freshness that is ideal in the spring sunlight.

In her usual flamboyant way, the Yves Saint Laurent woman reveals her romantic side, flirting with soft shades, luxuriating in fresh textures and naturally adopting ultra-contemporary, yet simple tips for application.

In a celebration of love and flowers, the New Spring Look 2008, interpreted by Val Garland, Artistic Advisor for Yves Saint Laurent Make-up, enhanced the model’s eyes with soft blue and green, a delicate and rosy complexion, and “embrace me”…lies the make-up look combines grace and sensuality in an effect that is totally today.

NEW LIMITED EDITIONS

• Palette Pop Collector Powder for Face & Cheeks ($60.00)
• Pop Stick Blush in N° 1 Vanilla / Chocolate, N° 2 Strawberry / Raspberry, N° 3 Peach / Blackcurrant ($42.00)
• Eye Colour Touch Water-Resisant Eyeshadow in N° 1 Golden Coral, N° 2 Steel Blue, N° 3 Golden Jade, N° 4 Glazed Brown  ($27.50)

NEW BASIC PRODUCT

• French Manicure / 2 Pens Kit ($42.00)

NEW BASIC SHADES

• Mascara Volume Infini Curl in N° 6 Infinite Petrol-Blue ($27.50)
• Ombres Duolumieres in N° 13 Golden Sand / Brown Earth, N° 15 Shimmering Quartz / Deep Amethyst ($39.50)
• Fard a Levres Rouge Pur in N° 138 Pink Orchid, N° 139 Red Pomegranate ($29.00)
• Rouge Pure Shine Sheer Lipstick SPF 15 in N° 28 Pink Sorbet, N° 29 Frozen Mocha ($29.00)
• Golden Gloss in N°12 Golden Cinnamon, N°13 Golden Nude ($28.00) 

Available this February 2008 on counters. 

You know you want all the details AND photos… Continue reading »